Oven for manufacturing continuous rubber articles



Aug. 7, 1945..

OVEN

FOR MANUFACTURING CONTINUOUS RUBBER Al\.RlI(JI.|}ElS -original Filed Aug. 26. 193e 2A sheets-shea 1 @auf STERLING W. ALBERI-'ER ATTORNEYS Aug- 7r1945- s. w. ALDERFER 2,381,387

OVEN FOR MANUFACTURING CONTINUOUS RUBBER ARTICLES 'original Filed Aug. 2e. 193s 2 sheets-sheet' 2 ATTO R N EYS Patented ug.` 7, 1945 5;;

es PATENT orifice] loriginal applnaui1k August 26, 193s, serial No. 226,954'. Divided and this application May 21,v

41942, serial No, 443,913

s oiaims. (C1. sfr- 48) This invention 're-lates. t0Y apparatus for-pro# ducing continuous rubber articles, such ,as threads, tubing, strips, or the like, vand'has'for its objecttheprovisionncf novel apparatus vfor rapidly and 'l e'iciently drying c wet continuous strip material.

In accordancewith this invention'there is provided an improved apparatus for producing Vcontinuous rubber articles,` such as threads, strips, tubesor the like, comprisingan endless belt Varrar'rgedto be mounted for movement along a Figure 2 is a plan vietvof Figurevl; K V Figure 3 is a vertical cross'section, ofthe oven, partly in elevation, taken on line 3-3 ofFigure 2,

. vviththe endless belt removed; and f portion ,of a frame, land associated with means for depositing a nlm of latex upon saidv belt as it is drawn by said frame,V and means for drying the'latex into arubber strip, and including means for pullingsaid'rubber strip from said belt, and v stretching it, and Wind up means for. collecting f said rubber strip.

/Inaccordance With' a 4further feature ofthe invention, the improvediapparatus comprisesfan endless belt'associated Awith meansfor deposit-v ing latex continuouslyon `.said belt,`and rmeans for' drying the'latex to formA a stripyof/rubber coagulum therefrom, 'andincludes means for pulling said rubber strip frornsaid `belt and Afor stretching the l strip, means for f rolling. 'the stretched strip of rubber .coagulum laterally upon itself to forni a rubber'xthread, and means for Acollecting'the'tensioned, rubber thread. Y

l The invention valso provides animproved apparatus of thecharacter described comprising a rotatabledisk mounted to dip a portion ofits peripheral surface vinto latex` in ,a,tank,' andP an endless belt for Vreceiving latex continuously from said disk and means for changing the speedof rotationofvsaidl disk whereby-the amount ,of Alatex deposited upon said belt can be varied..

f-The invention, further f provides .an fmproved apparatus in which the rubber lis dravvnY through a predetermined path, comprising asupport posi-Y tioned adjacent .the path ofthe 'continuousrubf ber article and'carryingva dustinglmaterial positioned'to project into, the path v.fof the rubber, and means for rotating said support .whereby the rubber continuously is cutting anew path through-saiddusting agent. e. ,v y ,A In order that. this. inventionmay be clearly understood and readily carried into effect;` the same will novvberdesc'ribed more -fullywith reference to thefaccompanying drawingsillustrating, by wayr of example, onefembod-imentofthe inventiomand in which I .Y c f y Figure `1 is an elevationlof apparatus embodyingfthe invention-With `a side of the drying oven Figure 4 is a 'transverse cross sectiontak-en on line 4+-4 of Figure k3. f

The invention. resides in a drying oven whichl may be associated with a machine that is adapted tol deposit latex continuouslyupon anv endless metal belt and .then form a rubberthread or other continuous product therefrom. The 'belt is run through the Aoven in which the belt is formed into convolutions'to provide a maximum length of beltdtra'vel in` a relatively small oven, vthe latex beingwconvertedA into rubber coagulum in the oven. The belt is 'ledkfromtheoven yand the rubber strip ispulled therefrom and drawn overa plurality-of` pulleys which4 progressively stre'tchthe rubber strip. Y Next the stretched strip of rubber yisi'olled upon itself to form a solid rubber thread, When that is the desired product, after which a portion ofY the tension in ythe stretched rubber thread usually is removed, to reduce the per cent elongationY of the rubber. Then the rubberrthrea'd is automatically dusted andiwoundon adrum. Means are associated with the endless belt for removing the strip `of rubber. coagulum toprevent fouling. ofv the machine in case such rubber is not pulled therefrom vby thepulleys in the customary manner. `The amount of latex deposited upon the endless belt sheave 65 that is securedrto a shaft 66 journalled f inthe frame 2 I. A y v The endless belt ,64, carrying the nlm deposited thereon by the-disk- 38, is drawn directly from thesheave 55 intoI thedrying oven .22 through a. smallopening 8l -in the, side ofl theovern The belt passes over avsheave 82 whichis mounted in the ovenadjacent the center `support 22a thereofon ajournalled. shaft'd `In ordertovprovide a Y long length of belt travel inthe oven, a plurality of pulleys are carriedbyshafts-inthe oven at the top4 and bottom thereof with; certain pulleys vbeing larger than others to providel apparatusffor 84 has its transverse position in the oven 22 f moved approximately the width of one sheave. From the rst sheave 84 that it contacts, the belt by a blower which connects to the radiator 98 by a conduit |0|. The blower draws air through a door |02 in the conduit and forces it through the radiator and up into the iiue formed by the baille plate 99. Then the air is forced down through and around the convolutions of the belt 64 and nally'is drawn back into the conduit |0|. Fresh air enters the casing 22 through ifa duct |01, and moist air leaves the oven through 64 is led to the corresponding aligned sheave of a plurality of sheaves 81, all of which are carried by a shaft 88, suitably journalled in the frame .is repeated until the belt 64 has beendrawn around all of these sheaves.

From the end member of the sheaves 81, the

belt is led to an aligned member of a plurality of sheaves 89 thatv are carried by a shaft 9| that is journalled on the center support 22a adjacent the bottom of the oven but which is above and substantially aligned with the shaft 85. The belt then passes to the aligned sheave of a plurality of sheaves `92 that are secured to a shaft 93 which is journalled in the oven 22 adjacent the top thereof, but underneath the shaft 88. The adjacent sheaves may be spaced by discs, if desired. Figure 3 shows that the shaft 93 mounts the sheaves 92 at a slight angle to the sheaves 89 to provide transverse movement of the belt 84 to align it with the neXt member of the sheaves 89. The belt is drawn around the sets of sheaves 89 and 92 `until all of the sheaves 89 have been utilized, and then the belt is drawn from the oven 22 through a small opening 94 in the side of the oven. In the last convolution of the belt in the oven, the belt is drawn over a sheave 95 which is journalled `on a shaft 96 that is aligned with and below the sheave 82. This is necessary, since the sheave 82 is directly in the path of the loop of the belt formed around the last sheave 89 so that the loop must be cut ofi' below the sheave182. Figure 1 illustrates how the plurality of convolutions of the beltare formed in the oven by making the sheaves 82, 84, and 81, larger than the sheaves 89, 92, and 95, whereby the first set of convolutions is formed around the larger sheaves and the second series of convolutions is formed inside the rst.

The desired tension is maintained uponI the belt 64 by hanging the shaft 85 and sheaves 84 in the belts convolutions with weights 90 being placed on the shaft 85 to aid in tensioning the belt. The shaft 85 is therefore only positioned by the center support 22ar and permitted to move vertically relative thereto. f

Any latex carried upon the belt 64 in its travel through the oven 22 must be formed into a rubber coagulur'n, and any suitable means for supplying heat to the oven 22 are provided for this purpose. In the embodiment illustrated, steam heat is used and this is provided through a pipe 91 which provides steam to a radiator 98 which is in the flue formed in the oven by a baie plate 99, Which extends upwardly from the top of the radiator 98 to a region near the journaled end of the shaft 93. Steam is exhausted from the radiator through pipe 91a. which has a water trap therein. Air is circulated through the oven 22 a vent pipe-|08 having a damper |09 for conl trolling the rate of venting.

" Control means, which lmay include a temperature control and recorder |03, are provided to regulate the ow of the steam through the radiator. yThe recorder |03 is of standard construction and includes a temperature sensitive member |04 which is positioned in the oven 22. The recorder controls the air pressure in a pipe |05, which connects to an air valve |06. This valve is connected in the steam pipe 91, so that variations in pressure in the pipe |05 control the setting of the valve |06 and thereby the steam iiow through the radiator and temperature of the oven 22. Usually the latex should only be dried into a at rubber strip in the oven and not be vulcanized appreciably while'therein, the temperature of the oven and the speed of the belt being regulated to achieve this purpose.

The belt 64, carrying the strip of rubber coagulum, is drawn over a sheave when it emerges from the oven 22 and then it passes over a sheave |I2, adjacent the top of the frame 2|, prior to completing its circuit i. e. passing over and immediately adjacent the disc 38. The sheaves and ||2 are secured to shafts ||3 and ||4, respectively, that are suitably journalled on the frame 2|.

The strip of rubber on the belt y|54 is drawn therefrom by a pulley ||5 suitably supported on the frame 2|, and suitably driven. The rubber strip is then stretchedby means of pulleys 2| and |31, which `are driven at speeds greater than the speed of pulley ||5. A pulley |23; hav- `ing a frusto-conical ange, receives and rolls the rubber strip laterally upon itself to form a thread in the manner described in my Patent No. 2,070,388 issued February 9, 1937. Thereafter, the rubber thread passes around a pulley |39 and through a pile of dusting material, such as soapstone, on a rotating table |56, and then around a pulley |'5| to one of a pair of windup drums |8I, |8|. Excess dusting material on the rubber thread is drawn therefrom by an exhaust flue |15, connected to a centrifugal pump |16 that is driven by a motor |11; an output ilue |18 is provided to dispose of the exhausted material. A suitable belt cleaning mechanism 242 is provided below sheave I2 to ensure that no rubber remains on the belt 64 after the rubber strip is removed 'therefrom by pulley l |5.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 226,954, led August 26, 1938, now Patent No. 2,308,949, and reference is made thereto for a complete description of the thread or strip forming apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for drying continuous strip material comprising a drying oven having a frame'and inclosing walls, a plurality of sets of pulleys journaled in said frame and comprising a pair of outer sets and at least one pair of inner sets, the outer sets of said pulleys having larger diameters than the inner sets, two sets of said pulleys being slightly out of alignment with a majority of the remaining sets, an endless belt passing through said drying oven, said belt being lthe oven upon said endless belt.

loopedfaround said outer sets of pulleys to form an outer'set of convolutions embracing an inner f and inclosing walls, two pulleys outside the oven and two pulleys inside the oven each pulley having an axis and all said axes being parallel with one another, anv endless conveyor belt' passing outer sets of pulleys having larger diameters than the inner sets, two sets of said pulleys being slightlyA out of alignment with a majority of the remaining sets, the path of the belt within the oven comprising an outer set of convolutions around an outer pair of sets of pulleys embracing an inner set of convolutions around an inner partially around one of said pulleys without the oven and directly into the oven and partially around one of said pulleys within the oven, the belt proceeding in a path throughthe oven then passing partially around the second said pulley Within the oven and directly out of the oven to and .partially around the second of said pulleys without theoven, a plurality of sets of pulleys journaled in said frame and including a pair of pair of sets of pulleys.

3. Apparatus for drying continuous strip material comprising a drying oven having a frame and inclosing walls, a plurality of sets of pulleys journaled in said frame, each set of pulleys cornprisingv a plurality of sheaves mounted upon a common shaft, said sets of pulleys comprising a pair of outer sets and a pair of inner sets, the outer sets of said pulleys having larger-diameters than the inner sets, one inner set and one outer set of the pulleys being slightly out of alignment with a majority of the remaining sets, an endless belt passing through the oven, the belt being looped about the outer sets of pulleys to form an outer set of convolutions proceeding in one direction, the belt being looped about the inner sets of pulleys to form an inner set of convolutions proceeding in an opposite direction.

- STERLING W. lALDERFFR.

outer sets and at least one pair of inner sets, the 

